Opening the Cage
by Dievergent
Summary: Hana is perfectly normal. Sixteen years of age and is going to choose where she knows she belongs. Her home, Amity. When she is shocked to find her friend choose a different faction, she comes to realize, that she isn't bound to Amity either. She joins Dauntless, and strangly fits in. But it isn't enough. She's failing, and what will she do? [ no war ]
1. Chapter 1

"Drink up, girl," the woman speaks, her voice becoming testy, "It won't hurt you, Amity, let's get a move on." She has blonde hair and a black coat with white on it. Candor. Average, maybe a little pretty, but the angry expression she makes ruins her face. Her eyebrows pinch together and she taps her hand steadily on the table, her long, painted nails clicking against the metal.

I'm happy to comply, if it makes her happy, and not angry anymore. I take to small glass she holds out to me, and down it in two gulps. I feel a little dizzy, and close my eyes to steady my spinning head. When I blink my eyes open, the Candor woman is gone. The table has vanished as well. All that's left in the room is the chair. I swing my legs off it and stand, frowning. This isn't good at all.

"Choose," a quiet firm voice tells me.

I turn to see where it came from, and it's a young woman, dressed in only white. I frown again. What faction is she from? Candor? No, she has no black on her. I blink slowly, trying to think. The woman repeats herself, louder than before.

"Choose," her eyes are green. Like grass. Her hair is like the bark of a tree. She points at something behind me and I turn again to look.

There are two small platforms, high as my waist. One has a knife resting on top, the other a small block of cheese. What do I choose? The thought of holding the knife makes me slightly upset. So instead, my fingers lift the cheese from where it sat. I turn to the woman to ask her why I needed to pick, and she isn't there. In her place, stands a dog. I shudder. It is nothing like the pets that people have at home. This one has cruel black eyes and foam drops from it's lips, which are pulled back into a snarl. I choke and take a step back as the dog begins to come to me.

"Please," I say hoarsely, holding out the cheese, my hands shaking, "Here."

I close my eyes and prepare to feel the dogs teeth tear at my skin, but instead I hear a whine. I snap my eyes open. The dog looks expectingly at me, and I laugh.

"Good dog," I say, and feed the dog the cheese. I smile, how nice. Dogs are very cute, the nice dogs are at least. I decide this one is good nor bad.

"Puppy!" A new unfamiliar voice sounds. It belongs to a little girl, no more than ten. She is wearing blue. Erudite. "Can I pet him?"

I shake my head. "He's not a very nice dog, and he may bite you," I frown, "I'm sorry."

The dog spots her and growls, lunching from my arms, and running after the little girl. She turns and runs and it is going to catch her. I can't move. I'm too afraid. I watch it get closer and then they are gone. I'm staring at the brown walls of the testing room. The simulation is over. I lay, breathing hard. It wasn't real. It wasn't.

"Hm," the woman says, "As expected."

I lean forward and stand, breathless, "Um..." I trail off.

"Amity," she says, with a tight smile, "Is your result. Now you may head back to your class, and if you aren't feeling well you can head home."

I nod and begin to leave, "Um..." I begin, "What is your name?"

She smiles, and she looked very pretty, I like her much more, "Sarah, you're the first to ask," she waves, "Good luck tomorrow, Hana."

"Thank you," I wave back and slide out of the room, letting the heavy door slide shut. I was right. Amity is where I have always belonged and always will. I was raised there. Kilan and I will live together and our days will be peace fillied and calm. That is where I will chose.


	2. Chapter 2

"Hana!" someone calls out to me.

I turn my head and see a group of Amity girls, dressed in yellow and red, standing in a circle, playing a hand game. One girl, I think her name is Meredith, but I can't remember, motions with her hand for me to join. I smile and walk over to join them. I sit next to the Meredith and a tall, skinny girl with long brown hair. Someone starts, and swings their hand across their body, tapping the hand of the girl to the left of her, and she repeats the action. The motion moves in a circle, and they sing.

"Dauntless, Dauntless, who is Dauntless? Who is brave and fearless? Who protects us all? They tear themselves apart!" The girl who is tapped last has to sit in the center, she laughs and sings.

I join in the familiar song, "Candor, Candor, who is Candor? Who never lies and keeps order? Who always tells the truth? The truth can hurt sometimes!" Meredith is last this time, and switches places with the girl in the center. She smiles. The song goes on.

"Abnegation, Abnegation, who is abnegation? Who is selfless and simple? Who governs us all? They never think of themselves, but that's not always good!"

Our laughter and voices get higher, as the game goes on, and a new girl sits in the middle, "Erudite, Erudite, who is Erudite? Who is smart and all knowing? Who is genius? Knowledge can be a costly thing!" I giggle as I am the last girl and stand in the center. I bunch my yellow skirt in my fists and sing.

"Amity, Amity, who is Amity? Who is kind and calm? Who always keeps the peace? Who farms the land so we may eat? We are the best of them all!" The song breaks off into laughter and we stand, for the train has pulled in. Everyone lines up to board. I listen to the idle chatter of the girls around me, but I'm not focused. The choosing ceremony looms in from of us like a skyscraper. I know where I belong. What I will choose.

But I shake my head and board the train, as if to leave my nerves behind

I'm walking down the road. The asphalt is rough and ruined, and I have to watch carefully to avoid cracks. It is one of the few roads in Amity. My home is on it. I see someone walking in the other direction. I grin. It's Kilan, my friend.

"Kilan!" I call to him, with a wide smile, "Did your test go well?"

He spots me and appears panicked, then calm, making me wonder if I had even seen the fear in his eyes, "Hana," he greets me, "It went... Well," he stutters over his words.

"I'm no Candor, but I can tell your lying," I insist, "Is everything okay?"

He shakes his head twice, his blond curls bouncing, the fear has returned to his face. His brown eyes lock in my, "Can I trust you?" His voice is so serious.

"Of course!" I match my tone of voice to his, "With anything!"

"My results were inconclusive," his breathing picks up, "I'm divergent, Hana, and they will fine me and kill me!" He's terrified, I see it in his eyes, "Help me please!"

"Divergent?" The word is foreign to me, "Everything is fine, Kilan, I promise. I won't tell, you won't tell, and everything will be alright. Okay?"

He sighes, "Yes, yes. You're right," but he's still worried, "I have to go, see you!" He flashes a quick smile and leaves me, breaking into a run. I watch him go, before continuing to my home. I walk up the cracked steps to the small wooden place I call home.

"Momma?" I open the door, "Are you home yet?"

I heard a faint bang and my mother stumbles into the hall, her brown hair a mess. We have the same hazel eyes. She is wearing red pants that are too small and a too big red shirt. She is, as usual, a mess.

"Hana!" She smiled and I grin back, "Oh welcome home! Your test went well, I hope?" She talks fast, and is a whirlwind around our home, busying herself.

"Yes, very well," I reply, and start to unpack my bag. The fraying yellow and blue thing is old and I set it under a bench by the door. I take in the room. A small kitchen, a couch and a table with three chairs. The walls and a peeling, pale yellow paint, and the floor a dark brown glossy wood. It is the only home I know. I walk down the hall to go into my bedroom, when my mother grabs my arm.

"Hana, baby, you'll stay with me won't you?" She sounds tired, and sad, "You won't leave Amity? My good girl... She wouldn't..." She babbling a bit and I pull my arm loose.

"Yeah, mom," I forced a pleasant look onto my face, "Yes."

She smiles again and continues to race around the room, cleaning. I sigh and slid into my bedroom. I wouldn't leave. Would I? I never imagined my older brother was going to leave. But he did. Joined Dauntless and left me with our crazy mother. She's been this way, since our father died. He was sick and I was only eight. I can barely picture his face. Bur loosing her cracked my mother and when my brother left, she shattered.

I lean against the door.

Tomorrow.

_Tomorrow._


	3. Chapter 3

"Jones, Rebecca!"

"Amity!"

"Diarman, Pete!"

"Erudite!"

"Lin, Marlee!"

"Dauntless!"

I force my eyes from my lap to the stage. Bile rises in my throat and I swallow, forcing it down. I take deep and steady breaths. I am dressed in my best, a ruffled yellow shirt and nearly black skirt, that looks red in the light, I even braided my hair. My mother, who sits to my left, is dressed nicely as well. To my right sits Kilan, who has his long blond curls pulled back into a small ponytail. I glance over at him and he catches me looking. He smiles and return it.

"Hastings, Manny!"

I take his hand and squeeze it.

"Erudite!"

He nods and our hands fall back to our sides.

"Renata, Misa!"

"Candor!"

I force myself to watch the ceremony. I am shaking. Excitement? Fear? I shouldn't be afraid. I know where I belong. I know. I do. But I'm still terrified. Why? My mother links her arm though mine and twines her fibers with mine. I can't leave her.

"Lusman, Kilan!"

Kilan freezes and I smile at him. He can do this. He's strong. He stands and stiffly walks down the many steps and onto the stage. He looks like he's going to be sick. He pauses in front of the five bowls, and pics up the knife. He's cutting his hand, and I can't see, I'm too far back. What bowl? It's very quiet.

"Candor!"

Clapping and whispers erupt. He is the first faction transfer. I feel like a stone is laying on my chest and I can't breathe. Kilan? Candor? I don't understand. He must have craved for the truth, for order and sharpness and everything Amity is not. Sadness and anger is like glass in my chest, and my eyes burn. Kilan? His mother is crying and his father holds her, and they both watch their son sit with his new faction.

"Theodros, Sam!"

This can't be happening.

"Amity!"

Why?

"Parker, Hana!"

I stand and force my feet to move. I feel my mother let go of my hand and I begin to descend the steps to the platform. My heart is deafening, beating faster and faster. I will choose Amity. I will. I have to.

I step onto the stage. I have to stay with my mother. I can't leave my home. The only home I've ever know. I can't. Kilan can. Why can't I? My mother shouldn't be the one forcing me to choose. It's my choice. Isn't it? I'm in front of the bowls. My fingers wrap around the knife handle and I slice my palm open, wincing slightly. The blood wells up on my hand.

Choose Amity! Amity! Amity! My hands are shaking. I take a step toward the bowl where I should let my blood drop. Amity! But I can't. Home is a familiar cage. One I could stay forever in. But why should I? I gasp and stick my hands over a different bowl. A fat, think drop of blood lands in the burning coals. It sizzles softly, and only I hear.

"Dauntless!"


	4. Chapter 4

What have I done?

Oh my god.

This is wrong.

This is so wrong.

Clapping fills the stadium and can't look at my old faction, at my mother. My legs feel like they've been glued to the ground and I force them to move, shuffling to my place amount the Dauntless. Someone claps me on the shoulder and gives me a friendly punch. I try to find a smile, but I can't. I sit in like a stone throughout the rest of the ceremony.

"We welcome you all, as full fledged members of our society!" I blink. It's already over? "The Choosing Ceremony has ended!"

Whoops and shouts sound around me, and I'm swept up with the crowd and they stand and flock to the doors, running and shouting. I laugh, a feeling of freedom hits me and I can't stop the smile that spreads across my face. They run outside and are stomping down the road, causing worried people to get out o the street.

"Let's go!" Someone in front of me yells. I can only see black, and the faces around me. They are laughing too. We have slowing to a stop.

People begin to grab the poles that support the train tracks above, and drag themselves up. I follow the example and begin to climb. Just like climbing the apple trees. My hands and feet are used to this movement, and I am one of the first few to reach the top.

"Hurry!" A girl next to me shouts to the people climbing, "You'll miss the train!"

My happiness is abruptly cut off. This can't be happening. The only way the Dauntless take trains, is by jumping into them. Climbing the pole is like climbing a tree. Jumping on a train isn't like anything I've ever done. I bury my face in my hands. The Dauntless girl next to me taps my shoulder. I glance up.

She has a pretty smile, "It's not so hard, just watch me, okay?" Her hair is a chestnut brown, lighter than mine, and cut short, right at her chin. She has startling blue eyes. "Oh, here is comes." She offers me her hand.

I take it and glance at the upcoming train. It's getting closer. My breathing picks up. It's almost to us. The girl takes a step back and I follow her. Then it's upon us. I can't hear over the loud train but I know she's counting down. Three, two, one! She jumps and pulls me with her. We rocket into the train, her landing on her feet, and me on my knees. I stand and sigh.

"Thank you," I tell her, "I'm Hana Mason."

"Sure," she replies, "Emma."

I lean against the train side and watch the buildings move by the car. I tap my finger impatiently on the window frame. Emma joins me. She has a long, hooked nose, and her eyes are big, wide. She smiles.

"I'm dying to know, why'd you choose Dauntless?" Her gaze is a little scary, "I mean, there are almost no transfers from Amity to here, like ever." She sounds curious, but not rude.

"I don't even know," I mutter, "I guess I wanted a change. I huge one."

She nods. And falls quiet. I like that about her. She doesn't endlessly chat like most of the girls I know. While gossiping is interesting, I hear it all the time. I glance around the car. There are three Dauntless guys at the front, talking quietly, and one girl in Erudite blue. She looks terrified. They look at ease. I lean my head against the wall and sink to the ground, exhausted.

I don't realize I've fallen asleep until Emma shakes my shoulder. "Hana," she says, "Time to jump."

I roll onto my feet, shaking my head. Again? I'm regretting this choice more and more. But I can do this. I smile and nod at Emma and we line up at the car door. A building is drawing 's stone with a wide roof I can tell the space we have to jump is several feet. I think we can make it over. Emma offers me her hand again. I shake my head. I have to this this. The two guys jump, followed by Emma. The Erudite girl jumps as well.

"Go!" I hiss, to myself. I take a running start and slam my feet into the edge of the car. I'm sailing through the air. I'm airborne, and then I fall, landing hard on grey gravel. I roll onto my side and lay there for a moment, stunned. Then a laugh bubbles in my chests and I'm shaking with laughter. I climb to my feet and brush the dirt from my clothes.

"Oh god," someone shouts, "I'm gonna be sick," I turn to see.

A few people lean over the railing of the roof, gazing down at the gap between the tracks and the roof. The laughter I had gathered abruptly stopped, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach. Someone must have fell. There's no other option. I hear a loud clapping.

A woman stands on the edge of the railing, on the other side of the roof. A man sits next to her, swinging his legs. There's no other word to describe them then Dauntless. They have tattoos and piercings and are dressed in all black. I follow the other initiates as we form a ragged half-circle around them.

She smiles, "Well done getting here, but your not in Dauntless headquarters yet," she motions to the drop behind her, "There's one way down from here."

"No way," someone shouts.

Another laughs, "That's suicide."

"Your rather fond of jumping aren't you?" I don't stop the words as they leave my mouth. I wince, but I can't stop, "This'll be the third time, won't it?"

The woman smirks, "Is that right?" Her eyes are cold and stare right at me, "Well then, how about you go first?"

I start to shake my head, but stop. I can't show weakness. I walk over to the edge of the railing and lean over, staring down. Shadows don't let me see. I climb up next to the woman and she smiles. I stare at the hole, fear filling me. I am about to step back when hands shove me from behind. I gasp, and close my eyes, worried that I'll land on the hard ground. A scream rises in my throat.

"No!" I gasp as I hit something. Rope is rough against my skin and I am laying face-down on a net. I can't catch my breath. Something my father used to say comes naturally and I say, "Holy shit."

I crawl to the edge of the net and a girl and a guys help me down. She chokes on laughter, "Amity?"

I feel heat rising in my cheeks and snap, "Got a problem?"

Something else crosses her face. Understanding? She smiles, "I see..."

I'm angry and a make a fist, "She pushed me!" I stutter, still out of breath, "She-"

Both of them begin to laugh, and the guy grins, "Madge that bitch," he glances up, "Your name?"

I nod, and say quietly, "Hana...Mason."

He laughs, "First, uh, jumper... Hana!"

"Welcome to Dauntless!"


End file.
